Tencent and China Unicom, a state-owned telecommunications operator, have launched the TUSI SIM card which implements new identity authentication standards for the Internet of Things (IoT) industry. The Tencent TUSI (Tencent User Security Infrastructure) IoT joint laboratory has also issued an identity-based blockchain product which provides cross authentication service.
The product was launched at a joint conference in Wuxi on May 23 attended by Tencent Vice President Ding Ke and Chen Xiaotian, general manager of China Unicom, Tencent News reports.
The TUSI SIM card’s main task is to provide safety standards. IoT connects machines by transferring a multitude of information which is in danger of being intercepted and exploited by hackers. Data breaches have already become a massive problem across China. The card will also be used in smart city applications.
The new card belongs to the new generation of eSIM cards which is already being adopted by Apple for its Apple Watches. The new standard is becoming popular among consumer electronics manufacturers who want to connect more devices through IoT. China Unicom and Tencent will focus on implementing the new cards in consumer electronics, vehicles, shared items and other fields.
The TUSI blockchain-based authentication system is a technical solution that emerged as a result of the transformation from traditional smart cities to new smart cities, said Shen Zixi, Deputy General Manager of Tencent’s wireless security product department. While traditional smart cities emphasize infrastructure construction, new smart cities pay more attention to the interaction between people and cities, he added.
Tencent’s TUSI IoT lab was established in September 2017 with the Wuxi High-Tech Industrial Development Zone which aims to be China’s center for IoT and sensor technology. During the launch of the lab, Tencent also signed an agreement with Intel to develop blockchain technology for boosting security in IoT applications.